I agree, the girt is eternal life. Even in this world there is the life of the spirit and the carnal life. The law as it defines sin is the key to the real eternal life, for in reality it is the life of the spirit that is the true life and that life can be eternal except that sin came in to cancel it.
Paul explains this, and his explanations are used by the church to turn our backs on the sin that kills this eternal life. They use that we are dead to sin to tell us to ignore that sin kills. They use that sin is a curse that kills to say we should not acknowledge that sin exists. They use that it is faith that saves to say we can ignore that sin kills, not realizing faith in God is to not accept sin in our life. They use that we are human and it is impossible for us to be sin free to say we must not repent of sin so without repentance we choose sin. These truths, with their wrong interpretations, are paraded by Christians as they ignore that Paul tells us to obey the Lord and repent of sin.
Because a human is not perfect and there is sin within him, any idea given about the necessity of the repentance that is trying for obedience is met with the taunt "are you perfect". Christ told us to be perfect, even though Christ knew we couldn't reach that goal. Christians tell us we should not follow Christ's command to try for perfection. I've read a post saying Christ didn't mean it when Christ told us to be perfect. They say that if we can't reach perfection, why not just live in sin, we can't stop it anyway.
I think the difference is in repentance some sinners acknowledge thier sins and it brings sorrow because they acknowledge they have sinned and the word of God condemns them so they repent from the heart and it moves then to change thier actions that’s how faith works
“So then
faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”
Romans 10:17 KJV
Jesus taught such wonderful things he didn’t just say “ repent you sinners or die “ he said that not repenting would. Ring death but he taught Christians about repentance in his word things like this about repentance a new way to look at repentance
“What man of you, having an hundred sheep, if he lose one of them, doth not leave the ninety and nine in the wilderness, and go after that which is lost, until he find it? And when he hath found it, he layeth it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he cometh home, he calleth together his friends and neighbours, saying unto them, Rejoice with me; for I have found my sheep which was lost.
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth, more than over ninety and nine just persons, which need no repentance.”
Luke 15:4-7 KJV
he taught it as a child returning home to his father the love involved in repentance
“And he said, A certain man had two sons: And the younger of them said to his father, Father, give me the portion of goods that falleth to me. And he divided unto them his living....
( he wastes his living and then comes to repentance in his heart )
And when
he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee, And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
And he arose, and came to his father. But
when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him. And the son said unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight, and am no more worthy to be called thy son.
But the father said to his servants,
Bring forth the best robe, and put it on him; and
put a ring on his hand, and shoes on his feet: And bring hither
the fatted calf, and kill it; and let us eat, and be merry: For this
my son was dead, and is alive again; he was lost, and is found. And they began to be merry.”
Luke 15:11-12, 17-24 KJV
Jesus tells sinners of redemption , freedom , he tells us of a Heavenly Father who loves us and is willing to come running as we turn back to him .
repentance is really important , but understanding repentance and faith is essential
“And, behold, a woman in the city, which was a sinner, when she knew that Jesus sat at meat in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster box of ointment, And stood at his feet behind him weeping, and began to wash his feet with tears, and did wipe them with the hairs of her head, and kissed his feet, and anointed them with the ointment.
Wherefore I say unto thee, Her sins, which are many, are forgiven; for she loved much: but to whom little is forgiven, the same loveth little. And he said unto her, Thy sins are forgiven.
And he said to the woman, Thy faith hath saved thee; go in peace.”
Luke 7:37-38, 47-48, 50
this woman hadn’t become sinless , she was acknowledging her sins before the lord and repenting from her heart and was saved by her faith not ever keeping or obeying any law but because she saw and came to Christ in repentance
God loves us and wants all
Of us to come to repentance and be saved . In order for us to know and believe that we need to accept the gospel . To know the truth about repentance we have to hear his call into the kingdom and know the love he has for us